Datura ferox

1. Datura ferox L. (S-USA and C-Am.) – A rather rare and ephemeral alien. First recorded in 1938 on waste land in the valley of river Vesdre (Verviers, Renoupré), probably as a wool alien. Subsequently observed on several occasions in this area until 1957. In the 1940’s and 1950’s sometimes seen on dumps, especially around Charleroi and Antwerpen, probably as a birdseed alien. From the 1970’s onwards much increasing, usually as a grain alien (unloading quays, near granaries, on grain dumps, manured fields, roadverges,…). Since 1993 seen most years in port areas in Flanders, probably most often introduced with soybeans (Verloove & Vandenberghe 1994).

Datura ferox, Merksem (Antwerpen), unloading quay for cereals by the Albertkanaal, October 2010, R. Barendse.Datura ferox, Merksem (Antwerpen), unloading quay for cereals by the Albertkanaal, October 2010, R. Barendse.

 


Herbarium specimen

 


Selected literature:

Adolphi K. & Dickoré B. (1977) Ruderalstandort Schlangenhecke in Leverkussen mit Datura ferox L. Gött. Flor. Rundbr. 11: 14-15.

Verloove F. & Vandenberghe C. (1994) Nieuwe en interessante graan- en veevoederadventieven voor de Belgische en Noordfranse flora, hoofdzakelijk in 1993. Dumortiera 58-59: 44-59.

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith